Streamlined shock-absorber.



APPLICATION FILED NOV. H. 1916- I K 1 v N Mm. 6% WM m w? W m. Nm z N of the landing gear lectively,

NELSON W. DALTON, 0F BUFFALO, N YO Moron. conronarron', a c

STREAMLINED SHOCK-ABSORBER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, NELSON W. DALTON, a citizen of the' United States, residing Buffalo, in the countyof New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Streamlined Shock- Absorbers, of which thg following is a specification.

My invention relates ative arrangement of the construction and rel v chass1s orlandlng gear shock absorberuand struts.

Aeronautical engineers have long appreciated the detrimental effect of extending the landing gear-axle the chassis struts.' To do so weakens the landing gear by increasing the leverage on the axle under the impact of landing and at;

the same time necessitates an arrangement wheels in widely spaced relation to the struts. .Moreover, the head resistance incident to flightis this way .considerably augmented. The V-arrangement of struts now used in landing gear construction is, however, admittedly preferred. Strut's so more compact although lack of space in the f the struts at the bight has heretofore prevented a compact anchorage of the shock absorber elastics; struts are V-zirranged) either extend longitudinally of the axle beneath the V. and over the axle, or transversely of the axle without the plane of the struts. The elastics colin either instance, sustain the weight of the machine.

By the present invention it is proposed .to avoid the structural disadvantages and advantages herein pointed out. First, it is proposed to \l-arretain the structural range'the struts; second, to considerably reduce in weight, length and size the land1ng gear axle; third, to mount the landing gear 7 wheels close up beside the V-arranged struts; fourth, to construct the anchorages for the shock absorber elastics a manner providing for their arrangement the plane of Specification of Letters Patent. I

Erie and .State of to landing gear for" aircraft. Many advantages and several novel features characterize the invention but shaped landing gear the principal innovation is .to be found in the considerably beyond arranged are stronger and These elastics (if the.

I of reference denote -l PatentedNov. 6,1917.

Application filedNoveniber 11, 1916. Serial No. 130,810.

RK, ASSIGNOR rocUn'rIss AEROPLANE AND onronatrron on NEW YORK. Y

the struts; fifth superpose the anchorages in unalined plane's;

sixth, inclose the shock absorb ers in a casing of streamline form but little thicker than the struts; seventh, brace,

the V-struts at the bight thereof by. the arrangement of certain of the anchorages therein; and finally, effectually streamline the axle throughout. v "Briefly outlined, the inventionmay be described as follows: Tubular substantially V- Mounted in the V of each strut is a substantially elliptical guide having, its sides connected respectively with the legs of the V-struts. by, transverse welded tubular sections toform between said sides and the .V a lattice work. Awheel axle crosses the V-strut at the bottom of its bight; On the axleis .niounted a saddle having a cross tree post welded to it in the plane of the guide and'having its free end projecting through an opening formed therein. The cross tree arms on the of the axle.

latticed tubes between the guide and legs of the V-strut and over the cross tree arms,

lan'ding shocks are absorbed and the elastics struts are-to be flared outwardly from the side of the.body.- of the -craft and thence downwardly and more nearly vertical with a View to imposing a direct thrust upon the cross tree post and preventing undue side slip. j 4 I .In the drawings, wherein like characters parts throughout the several views: 2

Figure l is a part-sectional and part elevational view proposed struts are provided.

ike or corresponding post lie in the plane 1 v By'lacing a-number of indi-- vidual shock absorber elasticsv under the illustrating the improvements Fig. 2 is the front elevation partly broken away;

Fig. 3 is a detail 'view of the intersecting anchorages, V-struts, and axle (partly in elevation and partly in section) a 4 is a section on the line M, Fig.

Fig. is a perspective view illustrating one shock absorber complete.

' Vstruts at the foot which point they are providing a mounting for slip avoided.

able means. stituting. what posed ll-struts,

axle 15 arranged ing the opposed struts atthe bights or connecting portions thereof. By this arrange ment, as intimated, a di ect thrust on the axle is obtained and all tendency to side Fore and aft braces desig- 16 and 17interconnect the thereof. The manner are streamlined asa nated respectively in which these braces unit with the axle 15 will be hereinafter more mountings sections 19 form with .multiple number of rubbers or fully described.

A. substantially elliptical guide 18 is' provided at the apex of each'V, the legs of the V lying in theplane of the guide. Tubular the guide 18 a lattice work, the sections, for the most part extending parallel and diate the sides of the gulde and said legs. These sections maybe welded, brazed or made integral with the guide and legs by any suitable means.

Upon reference to Fig. 3 it will be noted that the lattice work formed by elements 18 and-19 serves a two-fold purpose. By its integral formation with the legs at the foot of the \lrstruts the said legs are interconnected and effectually braced. By superposing the tubular sections or arms 19 they individually function .as anchorages for a elastics 20.

The terminals of the axle 15 extend through the respective elliptical guides 18 and laterally considerably therebeyond, the extended terminals providing appropriate for landinggear wheels 21.. By locating the lattice work intermediate the legs of the .V-struts and in the plane thereof, theglanding gearwheels may be mounted closeup beside the said struts as illustrated in Fig. 2;? The enormous bending moment on the axle. 12 under the impact of landing is in this way very materially lessened, and the axle in len' h, weight and size appreciably mama.

Adjacent the terminals of the axle 15 and in the vertical planethereof there is proterminals in the plane of the OV8I the CI'OSS tree arms with its terminals crossin spaced relation interme casing 28 ings 28 upwardly vided a saddle'22, the ends of which are up i .5

turned as indicated at .23 to afford with a center cross tree post at suitable supports for a multiple number of cross tree arms 25. The saddles 22 bear directly against the axle V-strut termlllitls to intersect or extend across the guides The cross tree arms 25 may be also described as anchorages for the elastics 20. The elastics, it will be noted, extend up and 25 and down and under the arms or tubular sections '19. Each series or set of ela'stics is in this way independentiy acting and in practice is individually distended'to secure an equal distribution of load throughout the lattice work havingfan openmg theni for 27 formed in the reception of the respective cross tree posts 94:. 1 I

It is entirely practical, in veiw of the superpdsed or vertical arrangement of anchorages, to inclose each shock absorber in a casing of streamline form. The casings, designated each as an entirety "by the numeral 28, are fastened by any suitable means andin each instance to a bridge 29 apertured as indicated at 30. These bridges in-. terconnect the legs of the V-struts in planes inte rniediate the bottom of the fuselage and the; landing gear axle. Said openings 30 afford operating space for the cross tree posts 24. ()penings 31 are formed in each to provide operating space for the axle 15 which extends therethr0ugh.' Slight movement of the axle with respect to the V- struts is bound to occur underthe enormous impact of landing.

Both legs of the opposed V-struts 13 are streamlined as a unit by continuing the casfrom the bridge 29 of each V-strut to the underside of the fuselage 10. That portion of the casing streamliningthe upwardly converging V-struts is designated 32. I

Ordinarily the landing gear axle is streamlined by fairing grooved to accommodate the axle. In the present instance,-however, this arrangement is un'dersirable in view of the forward landing gear brace 16. In flight, the axle 15 and brace 16 not only extend parallel but lie in the same horizontal plane. In landing, however, the weight of the machine forces the said parts, against tension of the elastics 20, into unalined or' difi'erent planes. With this in view it is still proposed to streamline the said parts in form. Said structure, in

'18 and 19 'and' I its preferred embodimentcomprises a framework 33 of which .the cross brace 17 is-a part, an inelastic fabric underneath covering 34 (preferably linen), and an elastic top covering 35 (preferably rubber cloth), the fabric connecting the structure 33 and-the forward brace 16 in a manner continuing the lines of the latter rearwardly' in stream line form to said structure 33 and the elastic covering 34 connecting the said parts to correspondingly continue the said lines of F the brace 16 aft to the structure 33 only when said'braceand the axle 15 lie in alined or corresponding planes. .At other times, the" elastic covering 35 is distended or stretched and the streamlining effect disrupted.

'By the arrangement the minimum and the shock absorbers arranged compactly at the bights of the V- struts anddn'the planes of the Vstrut legs. The provision of vertically extending an chorages for the shoe certainly advantageous in View of the ease with which the various parts of the landing gear may be streamlined. To secure light:

tion,.it isneverthelessdesired to emphasize the fact that interpretation of the invention should only be conclusive when made in the light of the subjoined claims.

What is claimediis:

1. A landing gear-for aircraft including relatively movable landing gear parts, a multiple'number of shock absorber-elastics interconnecting said. parts, and a plural number of superposed anchorages for said elastics mounted respectively upon each part.

'2. A landing gear for 3. In a landing gear for aircraft, shock absorber elastics, and

ing tiers.

4. In a landing'gearfor aircraft, a fixed part of latticed form,- ticed vidually distendable contact with the respective latticed parts.

5. In a landing gear for aircraft; l'anding gear struts arranged in pairs,'s hock abdisclosed, the resist-' ance to flight at the landing gear'is cut to.

absorber elastics is intersecting, and shoc intersecting, and 7 aircraft including relatively movable landing gear parts, a

fplural' number of superelastics arranged for superposed anchor-' ages for said elastlcs arranged in intersect-' a movable. part of latform, and a multiple number of indielastics arranged for v opposed V-arranged lanolin tendedv angularly outwardly sorber elastics mounted at the foot of each pair of struts, and anchorages for said elastics mounted intermediately and in the plane of the struts constituting each pair. 6. Ina landing gear for aircraft, V-arranged landing gear struts, and superposed anchorages for shock absorber elastics arranged in th plane 'of the respective V- struts.

7. In a landing ranged landing gear struts, and shock absorbers constructed for fitting engagement gearfor aircraft, V-arwithin the V and above the bight' of the p respective landing gear struts.

In a landing gear for gear struts, shock absorber elastics, and superposed anchorages for said elastics arranged to interconnect and brace adjacent struts. v 9. In a landing-gear for aircraft, V-arranged landing gear'struts, shock absorber elastics, and anchorages for said elastics arranged. adjacent the bight of said V-struts to interconnect and brace said struts.

10. Inalanding gearfor aircraft, ,V-araircraft, landing ranged. landingjgear struts,.and'a landing gear shock absorber including superposed anchorages constructed for fitting engage- .ment in the V of the respective struts.

11. In a landing gear for aircraft, landing gear struts, shock absorber elastics, and

superposed anchorages for said elastics interconnecting and bracingadjacent-struts.

12. In a-landing gear for aircraft, super posed anchoragesarran ed with their planes laced for contact withsaid anchorages.

13. In a landing gear for aircraft, V-arranged'landing' gear struts, superposed anabsorber elastics chorages arranged'in. the plane of the respective struts,- and shock absorber elastics laced for 14 contact with said anchorages. posed anchorages a] multiple number of. individually distendable shock absorber elastics laced for contact respectively with said anchorages.

, 15. In a landing gear'for-aircraft, landing gear struts, an axle, strut-borne superposed anchorages, intersecting axle-borne superposed anchorages, and shock-absorber contact with' the respective anchorages. 7

16. A landing gear,jfor aircraft including substantially v aifrainged fstruts, shock ab sorber devices mounteda and means respectivelyv inclosing associated shock absorber devices and jV-struts to streamline the two as a unit;

17.' A land' g gear for aircraft-including gear'struts ex e'yond the sides ofthe bodytbf. the craft and thence down- In a landing gear for aircraft, superarranged with their planes;

I V Y the foot thereof,

Wardly substantially vertically, together with shock absorber means mounted Within the V of each strut above its hight but beneath the angularly extended portion thereof.

18. A landing gear for aircraft including an axle, opposed landing gear struts angularly extended throughout a portion of their manner;

length but vertical at their noints of intersection with said axle, shock hsorber devices mounted respectively adjacent the vertically extended portion of each strut, and means streamlining each strut and its associated shock absorber device as a unit.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

NELSON W. WALTON. 

